Liquid dispersion means



July 29, 1969 R. L. ANDERSON 3,453,297

LIQUID DISPERSION MEANS Filed June 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /5 I INVENTOR:

/6 .RULLAND LANUBRSUN.

" E-E- EYE-4- BY @3 J y 9, 1969 R. L. ANDERSON 3,458,297

LIQUID DI SPERSION MEANS Filed June 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTOR. RULLAND L. ANDEJQSUN.

BY @u@ United States Patent Ofice 3,458,297 Patented July 29, 1969 3,458,297 LIQUID DISPERSION MEANS Rolland L. Anderson, Sylvania, Ohio, assignor to Champion Spark Plug Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 1, 1964, Ser. No. 371,355 Int. Cl. B01f 3/02 U.S. Cl. 48-180 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Reatomizing means to be inserted in the intake manifold of a hydrocarbon driven internal combustion engine comprising a body having an annular recess in which unvaporized fuel collects, and a series of inwardly extending cusps forming drip edges. Fuel collected in the recess flows out along the drip edges to be picked up by the gas stream flowing to the engine cylinders.

The present invention relates to means for removing liquid that is forced along the walls of a conduit by gas fiow through the conduit and for dispersing the liquid throughout the moving gases; and more particularly to means for causing the liquids which flow along the manifold of a gasoline engine to be dispersed into the air and fuel vapors that are fed to the internal combustion chambers of the engine.

In conventional gasoline engines, gasoline is sprayed into the air that is fed to the internal combustion chambers of the engine in what is known as a carburetor. The dispersion of liquid gasoline droplets in air is conducted away from the carburetor through a conduit having branches leading to the individual internal combustion chambers in what is conventionally called a manifold. Gasoline is a mixture of hydrocarbons approximately 90 percent of which boil below a temperature of approximately 140 C. Gasoline usually also includes a minor percentage of an anti-knock compound called tetraethyl led which boils at about 200 C., and a minor amount of ethylene dibromide which is a lead scavenger agent and which boils at a temperature of about 130 C. In some instances tetramethyl lead is used in place of tetraethyl lead. The use of tetramethyl lead is not extensive, and a discussion of its use and problems related therewith will later be given. As the dispersion of gasoline droplets in air is conducted away from the carburetor by the manifold, the lighter boiling hydrocarbons and the ethylene dibromide become vaporized leaving the heavy hydrocarbons as well as the tetraethyl lead in droplet form. These droplets of liquid tend to settle out in horizontal sections of the manifold and, in addition, may be thrown against the outer surfaces of bends in the manifold due to inertia force. The walls of the manifold, therefore, become wetted with a mixture of high boiling hydrocarbons and tetraethyl lead which no longer contains the ethylene dibromide lead scavenger agent. This mixture of heavy hydrocarbons and tetraethyl lead is forced along the manifold by the gas flow until it reaches the first branch conduit leading from the sides of the manifold along which the liquids are being forced to a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber which receives most or all of the liquid receives a greater than desired amount of tetraethyl lead with less than the desired amount of the ethylene dibromide lead scavengering agent. This causes an abundance of lead deposits to form in the cylinder which received the liquids and at least some of these deposits accumulate in the spark plug of that cylinder causing the spark plug to eventually foul and be come inoperative.

This problem of fouling of spark plugs is particularly troublesome in vertical shaft horizontal opposed-cylinder helicopter engines wherein the gasoline-air mixture is fed through a manifold that extends horizontally and then downwardly past each bank of the horizontally opposed cylinders. The liquid mixture of heavy hydrocarbons and tetraethyl lead are sucked into the top cylinder of each bank, and the lead deposits which are formed accumulate in the lower spark plug of each of these top cylinders, such that these spark plugs become inoperative in approximately 25 hours of engine operation.

An object of the present invention is the provision of new and improved means for removing liquid which runs along the side walls of conduits carrying gases, and which disperses this liquid into the gases in the form of fine droplets.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of new and improved means for collecting liquid from the sidewalls of the manifold of a gasoline engine and for dispersing the liquid in the fuel-air mixture that is fed to the internal combustion chambers of the engine without materially reducing the flow capacity of the manifold, or the power output of the internal combustion engine.

A more particular object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved ring for insertion into the manifold of an internal combustion engine for collecting the liquid which flows along the sidewalls of the manifold and for conducting this liquid to a plurality of short projections which extend into the internal passage of the manifold and each of which has drip edges around at least three sides of which the gases flowing through the manifold pass.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following description of several preferred embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic side view in elevation of a six-cylinder horizontal opposed gasoline engine for powering a helicopter;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 showing still another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view through a manifold which has a heated packeted area, commonly called a hot spot, and which shows another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 6.

The six-cylinder vertical shaft horizontal opposed gasoline engine shown in FIG. 1 is fed with a fuelair mixture from an updraft carburetor 10 which discharges into a T 12, the side outlets of which form horizontal branch headers 14 which extend horizontally across the top of the engine and turn downwardly to connect to vertical manifold portions 16, only one of which is shown. The engine includes air-cooled cylinders 18 only one bank of which is shown. Each cylinder 18 is supplied with the fuel-air mixture from the vertical manifold portion 16 through a side outlet connection 20.

As described above, the light ends of the gasoline, and the ethylene dibromide lead scavengering agent vaporize almost immediately after leaving the carburetor, and the heavy ends of the gasoline and the tetraethyl lead remain as droplets dispersed in the air and vapors leaving the carburetor. In conventional helicopter engines of the type shown in FIG. 1, some of the liquid condenses J and runs along the bottom of the horizontal branch headers 14, and some of the remainder of the droplets of liquid which are still dispersed in the gaseous stream .are caused to impinge upon the outside of the curved portions of the manifold due to inertia forces. The result has been that in prior art engines of the type shown in FIG. 1 the mixture of heavy hydrocarbon ends and tetraethyl lead runs down the vertical manifold portions 16. Most of the liquid flowing along the side of the vertical manifold portions 16 is on the side adjacent the cylinders 18, and the major portion of this liquid enters the branch connection 20 leading to the top cylinder 18. The top cylinder 18, therefore, of conventional helicopter engines is supplied with far too much tetraethyl lead for the amount of lead scavenger agent which enters the cylinder with the result that far more lead deposits are formed in the top cylinder 18 than is formed in the remaining two lower cylinders of each bank. Each of the cylinders 18 has a top and bottom spark plug 22 and 24 respectively, and the liquids tend to accumulate in the lower spark plug 24 and be converted to a lead deposit which fouls the plug in a relatively short time. In some conventional helicopter engines, the lower plugs 24 have become fouled so badly as to be inoperative after approximately 25 hours of engine operation.

According to the present invention, means are provided for removing the liquid which flows along the sidewalls of the manifold, and for dispersing it in the form of droplets throughout the gas flow that proceeds to each of the cylinders 18. According to the invention, the means provided comprises a plurality of short projections 26 which extend into the air stream and around at least three sides of which gases flow. Liquid is communicated to the inner edge of the projections 26, the downstream portion of which forms a drip edge. Inasmuch as gases flow past not only the inner edge of the projections 26 but also around the lateral side portions of each projection 26, the gases will flow in behind the droplets of liquid leaving the projections 26 to separate the droplets from the sidewalls of the manifold 16, and thereby prevent the droplets leaving the inner edge of the projections 26 from impinging upon the sidewalls. The projections 26 must be relatively short so as not to materially reduce the cross section of the manifold through which the fuel-air mixture flows, and thereby reduce the power output of the engine. The invention further includes means for collecting the liquid from the sidewalls of the manifold and for distributing this liquid substantially evenly to each of the inner edges of each of the projections 26. In addition to causing gases to flow between droplets of liquid falling from the projections 26 and the sidewalls of the manifold 16, the projections 26 produce turbulence which promotes vaporization of the droplets, and further aids in distribution of the droplets and vapors throughout the gas stream.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the invention comprises a ring 28, the external surface of which is stepped inwardly as at 30 adjacent its upstream end so as to provide a recess 32 which collects the liquid flowing along the sidewalls of the manifold. Inasmuch as the conduit is circular in cross section the ring 28 is generally annular in shape and the downstream end of the ring 28 forms a press fit with respect to the sidewalls of the lower end of the branch header 14 in which it is received. The ring 28 is held in place by means of four rivets 34 one of which can be seen in FIG. 3. In the engine shown in FIG. 1, the upper end of the vertical manifold portion 16 is enlarged to form a gland 36 into which the lower end of the branch header 14 extends. A packing material 38 is positioned between the sidewalls of the gland 36 and the lower end of the tube 14, and is compressed between the two by means of an annular plate 40 and a plurality of machine screws 42 only one of which is shown. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the projections 26 are formed as the radially inner edge of a relatively thick upstream portion 44 of the ring 28 which is laterally disposed of the recess 32.

The thick upstream portion 44 extends downstream of the bottom of recess 32 where the central passage 46 through the ring 28 has an outwardly stepped surface 48 to provide drip edges 50 at the downstream end of the projections 26. The lateral extent of the projections 26 is determined by radially outwardly extending indenations 52 which intersect the outwardly stepped surface 48 on opposite sides of the drip edges 50. Gases, therefore, flow on opposite sides of the drip edges 50 as well as radially inwardly thereof so that the gases can expand behind liquid dripping from the drip edges 50 and prevent the drops from being forced against the sidewalls of the conduit in which the ring is positioned. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the ring 28 has an outside diameter of 2.135 inches and the identations 52 are semi-cylindrically shaped and are formed by drilling twenty equally spaced A diameter holes .161 inch from the outside of the circular ring 28. Thereafter the center passage of the ring is bored out until the boring tool reaches the center of the openings forming the semicylindrical indentations 52. A passageway 54 is drilled in each projection 26 to communicate the recess 32 with the radially inner surface of the projection 26 adjacent the drip edge. The passageways 54 preferably open into the recess 32 a slight distance upstream of the bottom of the recess 32 so that liquid will run around the bottom of the recess and be distributed to the numerous passageways 54 substantially equally.

The ring 56 shown in FIG. 4 is generally similar to that of FIGS. 1 through 3, and those portions of FIG. 4 which correspond to similar portions of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 are designated by a like reference numeral characterized further in that a prime mark is affixed thereto. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 principally in that the recess which receives the liquid from the walls of its receiving conduit is a cup shaped depression 58 in the upstream surface of the ring, and also in that the passageways 54' communicate with the stepped surface 48' adjacent the drip edges 50'. As in the previously described embodiment its passageways 54' preferably open into the depression 58 a slight distance upstream of the bottom of the depression 58 to cause liquid to flow around the recess and be distributed substantially equal to each of the passageways 54. The exterior surface 60 of the ring 56 is tapered to match a corresponding taper 62 in the top flange end of the vertical manifold 16', and the ring 56 has a radially outwardly extending lip 64 which seats against the top surface of the flange 66. The upper conduit 14' is also flanged and is bolted to the flange 66 with a gasket 68 therebetween to form a tight seal. The lip 64 fits between the flange 66 and the bottom of upper conduit 14' to hold the ring 56 in place.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is somewhat similar to that of the previous embodiments, and those portions which correspond to similar portions of the previously described embodiments are designated by like reference numerals characterized further in that a double prime mark is aflixed thereto. The ring 72 differs principally from the ring shown in FIG. 4 in that the passageways 54" open into the radial interface of the projections 26" at a considerable distance above the drip edges 50", the bot tom edge of the ring 72 slopes outwardly and upwardly as at 48", and the lip 64" is sufficiently thick and tapered so as to form its own gasket between the upper conduit 14" and the upper surface of the manifold 16". The ring 72 also differs from the ring 56 in that the indentations 52" are considerably less deep than are the indentations 52 and 52', and are less than semi-cylindrical. Liquid leaves the ring 72 from the drip edges 50" in streams which are spaced from each other and between which gases can pass because of the indentations 52". Because the bottom surface 48" slopes upwardly, however, there is less tendency for the liquid to flow towards the sidewalls of the lower manifold portions 16", and the indentations 52", therefore, can be more shallow than in the previously described embodiments.

FIG. 6 of the drawings is a vertical sectional view through the manifold of an automotive engine having hot spots therein and which also embodies principles of theinvention. The manifold 74, shown in FIG. 6, forms a generally horizontally extending pasage 76 having an inlet 78 formed within an upwardly extending boss 80 adjacent the center of the manifold 74. The boss 80 forms an annular chamber 82 which surrounds the central passage 78 and through which exhaust gases are conducted to heat the sidewalls 84 around the inlet 78. The manifold 74 also has a chamber 86 located directly below the inlet 78 and through which exhaust gases are conducted to heat the walls of the passage 76 and provide 'what iscalled a hot spot. The upper end of the boss 80 has a flat bolting surface 90 against which the lower end of a carburetor body 92 is aflixed by means of suitable studs not shown and a gasket 94. The carburetor body 92 includes the usual throttle valve 96 and fuel jet 98.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the side walls of the inlet 78 adjacent the bolting surface 90 are enlarged as at 100 to provide a shoulder 102. A ring 104 is positioned in the enlarged section 100 of the inlet 78 to collect the materials which flow down the sidewalls of the air passage of the carburetor body 92 and cause these materials to be mixed with the stream of gases flowing through the inlet 78. The ring 104 has a recess 106 in its outer surface to provide top and bottom portions 108 and 110 respectively which are in sealing engagement with the walls of the enlarged section 100 of opening 78. 'The ring includes an inwardly and upwardly extending lip 112 which extends inwardly approximately & beyond the sidewalls of the passage of the carburetor body 92- to form an annular recess 114 into which liquid from the sidewalls of the carburetor body flow. A plurality of small openings 116 are provided around the ring to connect the recess 114 with the recess 106 and distribute liquid from the recess 114 generally evenly around the sidewalls of the enlarged section 100 of opening 78 bounding the recess 106. The sidewalls of the enlarged portion 100 of the inlet opening 78 are heated by the exhaust gases passing through the annular chamber 82, so thatmost or all of the liquid which flows through the openings 116 is vaporized within the annular recess 106. Vapors which are produced in the recess 106 are conducted through a plurality of spaced apart passageways 118 to the radially inner surface of projections 120 which are very similar to the projections 26" as shown in FIG. 5. The projections 120 are formed on the radially inner end of a radially inwardly extending bottom ring portion 122 which form a partial restriction in the passage 78 to produce a drop in pressure 'which pulls the vapors through the passageways 118. The bottom of the thickened portion 122 is tapered upwardly as at 124, and indentations 126 similar to the indentations 26" are provided to limit the lateral extent of the projections 120. The bottom of the projections 120 form a drip edge 130 similar to the drip edges 50". The drip edges 130 and indentations 126 perform the same function as in the previous embodiments. The indentations 126 cause air flow around three sides of the drip edges 130 to which passageways '118 communicate. During startup, therefore, when the engine is cold, gasoline will flow down through the recess 114, passageway 116, recess 106, and passages 1-18 to the drip edges 130 around which air flows at least three sides to keep the drops of liquid from impinging upon the sidewalls of the inlet 78. Thereafter as the engine is heated up, most of the liquid is vaporized by the hot sidewalls of the enlarged opening 100 so that they will be introduced to the air flowing through the inlet 78 in the form of vapors.

It will be understood that while the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 has been described as being mounted in a downdraft position, it can also be used in an updraft position, as well as in a horizointal position. When mounted in an updraft position, liquid carried upwardly along the sidewalls of the carburetor body 92 is caused to flow into the recess 114 and is then forced into the recess 106 where the liquid is vaporized. When the structure of FIG. 6 is mounted for horizontal flow through the cat'- buretor body, the butterfly valve 96 is preferably positioned so that the top edge of the butterfly valve moves downstream when the valve is opened. With the butterfly valve 96 mounted in this manner, liquid is caused to flow upwardly along the butterfly plate so that the liquid which leaves the butterfly plate is adjacent the top of the air stream. More even ditsribution of the liquid in the airstream therefore results.

Tetramethyl lead boils at C., and, therefore, vaporizes more easily than does tetraethyl lead. Less separation occurs between tetramethyl lead and the ethylene dibromide than is the case with tetraethyl lead and ethylene dibromide. Tetramethyl lead is not as effective in some types of fuel, however, as is tetraethyl lead, and so has limited application. Even where tetramethyl lead is used to increase the anti-knock properties of the fuel, problems still exist with the distribution of heavy hydrocarbons, vapors, etc. The present invention, therefore, has advantages when used in carburetion and manifold systems for vaporizing and distributing fuels containing tetrarnethyl lead.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail, it is not desired to be limited to the particular embodiment shown and described, and is intended to cover hereby all novel adaptations, modifications and arrangements thereof which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

What I claim is:

1. In a conduit for conducting gases carrying vaporizable particles of liquid, said conduit having a vertical portion through which the gases are conducted in one direction and along the walls of which some of the liquid runs, a plurality of generally equally spaced projections extending generally radially inwardly from the sidewalls of said vertical portion of said conduit, said projections being spaced to allow gas flow between said projections and having surfaces which form drip edges spaced radially inwardly of the sidewalls of said conduit on the downstream end of said projections, means forming a generally horizontally extending cup-shaped groove arranged to receive liquid flowing toward said projections along the sidewalls upstream of said projections, said projections having passageways connecting said cup-shaped groove and areas adjacent the radially inner surfaces of said projections, whereby the liquid which runs along the sidewalls of said conduit is conducted to said drip edges spaced inwardly from said sidewalls and about which gas flows around three sides.

2. A liquid fuel atomizer for insertion into a vertical conduit, said atomizer comprising: a generally tubular ring positioned to engage sidewalls of the conduit and having a central passage extending therethrough, said ring having a recess adjacent one end thereof for receiving liquid running along the Walls of the conduit in which the ring is to be placed, a plurality of generally equally spaced projections on said ring extending generally radially inwardly into said central passage, said projections being spaced to allow gas flow between said projections and having surfaces which form drip edges spaced radially inwardly of the sidewalls of the conduit in which the ring is to be placed and which drip edges are positioned downstream of said ring from said recess, said projections having pasageways therein connecting said recess and areas adjacent the radially inner surfaces of said projections, whereby the ring causes the liquid which runs along the sidewalls of the conduit in which it is to be 7 placed to be conducted to said drip edges spaced inwardly 2,399,826 from the sidewalls and causing gas to flow around three 2,589,946 sides of said drip edges. 2,889,214 3,164,451

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1927 Smith 48-180 Ridgway 48-180 Linn 48-180 Linn 48-180 Almquist 48-180 5 JOSEPH SCOVRONEK, Primary Examiner us. 01. X.R. 

